Non-metallic electrical conduit connector

Abstract

A connector for coupling non-metallic electrical conduit or tubing within an electrical box opening that is molded of plastic and is flexible and resilient and can be used with either plastic or steel electric boxes. The connector includes a ring, four legs resiliently and pivotally coupled to the ring with adjacent pairs of legs defining a slot therebetween, and four latch tabs located within the slots and flexibly and resiliently coupled to the ring for retaining the conduit within the connector and angled inwardly and extending away from the ring. Each leg has an arcuate groove therein for locking the connector within an aperture of an electrical box, and the legs form a stop wall for limiting insertion of the conduit within the connector. Each leg has a transverse arm which spans one of the slots. As the connector is being inserted into the aperture of the electrical box, each arm slidably engages the next adjacent leg. Once the connector is fully inserted into the electrical box and conductors have been fed through the conduit, the arms protect the conductors from being damaged by the electrical box.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector for attaching an electrical conduit to an enclosure comprising: a ring having a first end and a second end;   a plurality of legs, each of said legs having a free end and a locking member thereon, said legs being spaced apart for defining a continuous slot between adjacent ones of said legs, each of said continuous slots extending from said second end of said ring to said free ends of said legs to completely separate adjacent ones of said legs;   means, coupled to said ring and said legs, for pivotally and resiliently coupling said legs to said ring at said second end; and   at least one retaining member coupled to said second end of said ring for retaining a conduit thereon;   said at least one retaining member being located in one of said slots and angled inwardly relative to said ring and extending away from said ring.   
     
     
       2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said retaining member comprises resilient tabs, each of said tabs having a base coupled to said ring.   
     
     
       3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein said resilient tabs comprise four resilient tabs, each tab being spaced 90° from the adjacent tab.   
     
     
       4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein said slots comprise four slots, each slot spaced 90° from the adjacent slot, and each slot receiving one of said tabs therein.   
     
     
       5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said locking member on each of said legs comprise an arcuate groove.   
     
     
       6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the axial length of said legs from said second end of said ring of said free ends of said legs is substantially four times the axial length of said ring from said first end to said second end of said ring.   
     
     
       7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said legs comprise four of said legs and said slots comprise four of said slots.   
     
     
       8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said locking member on each of said legs comprises an arcuate groove, said legs are arranged in a substantially circular array, and the outer diameter of said legs at the outer edge of said arcuate grooves is substantially 1.2 times larger than the diameter of the bottoms of said arcuate grooves.   
     
     
       9. The connector according to claim 1, wherein each of said legs has an arm rigidly coupled thereto and extending transversely from said leg and spanning one of the adjacent slots.   
     
     
       10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein said arms are substantially co-planar with said locking member.   
     
     
       11. The connector according to claim 9, wherein each of said legs has a shelf.   
     
     
       12. The connector according to claim 11, wherein each of said arms is slidably engageable with the shelf on the adjacent leg.   
     
     
       13. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said ring comprises inner and outer walls,   said inner wall having four recesses spaced 90° apart,   one of said recesses being centered immediately below each said resilient tabs.   
     
     
       14. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said legs include stop means for limiting insertion of the conduit therein.   
     
     
       15. A connector for coupling electrical conduit within an electrical box opening, comprising: a ring having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end;   a plurality of legs defining a continuous slot between each adjacent pair of said legs, each of said legs having a free end, first and second opposing surfaces for locking the connector within the opening, and an arm rigidly coupled thereto, each of said arms being slidably engageable with the next adjacent leg and being aligned substantially between said first and second opposing surfaces and being substantially co-planar with said first and second opposing surfaces along a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, one of said arms spanning each of said slots for protecting electrical conductors of the conduit from damage during insertion through the electrical box opening;   means, coupled to said ring and said legs, for pivotally and resiliently coupling said legs to said ring at said second end; and   means, coupled to said ring, for retaining a conduit thereon and being located in said slots and angled inwardly relative to said ring and extending away from said ring.   
     
     
       16. The connector according to claim 15, wherein said means for retaining comprises resilient tabs, each of said tabs having a base coupled to said ring.   
     
     
       17. The connector according to claim 16, wherein said resilient tabs comprise four resilient tabs, each tab being spaced 90° from the adjacent tab.   
     
     
       18. The connector according to claim 17, wherein said slots comprise four slots, each slot spaced 90° from the adjacent slot and each slot receiving one of said resilient tabs therein.   
     
     
       19. The connector according to claim 15, wherein said first and second opposing surfaces on each of said legs comprises an arcuate groove.   
     
     
       20. The connector according to claim 15, wherein the axial length of said legs from said second end of said ring to said free ends of said legs is substantially four times the axial length of said ring from said first end to said second end of said ring.   
     
     
       21. The connector according to claim 15, wherein said legs comprise four of said legs and said slots comprise four of said slots.   
     
     
       22. The connector according to claim 15, wherein said first and second opposing surfaces on each of said legs comprises an arcuate groove, said legs are arranged in a substantially circular array, and the diameter of outer edges of said first and second opposing surfaces is substantially 1.2 times larger than the diameter of the bottoms of said arcuate grooves.   
     
     
       23. The connector according to claim 15, wherein said ring comprises inner and outer walls,   said inner wall having four recesses spaced 90° apart,   one of said recesses being centered immediately below each of said resilient tabs.   
     
     
       24. The connector according to claim 14, wherein each of said legs has a shelf rigidly coupled thereto and extending transversely thereon, each of said shelves slidably receiving one of said arms extending from the adjacent leg.   
     
     
       25. The connector according to claim 24, further comprising a stop means formed on said legs for limiting insertion of the conduit and comprising a plurality of arcuate surfaces, each of said arcuate surfaces being rigidly coupled to each of said shelves.